Medical equipment your preemie may need and how to use it

Most babies who graduate from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) don't need special medical equipment when they leave the hospital. But some NICU babies are strong enough to go home but still need help from special equipment.

If your baby is discharged with medical equipment, learn how to use it and practice using it before she leaves the hospital. Usually the company that provides the equipment will send someone to the NICU or to your home to show you how to use it properly.

The three most common types of equipment that babies go home with are an apnea monitor, a feeding tube, and oxygen.

Apnea monitor

Many babies have episodes of apnea (a periodic interruption of breathing). If a baby hasn't outgrown the problem in the hospital, she may temporarily need an apnea monitor at home.

The monitor is attached to the baby with soft, sticky patches or a soft belt that goes around her chest. If the baby stops breathing, or if her heartbeat is too fast or too slow, the monitor sounds an alarm.

You may use the monitor when your baby is sleeping or when you aren't in the same room. Before your baby leaves the hospital, you'll learn:

What to do when the alarm goes off

When to call your baby's healthcare provider

Sometimes the alarm goes off when there's nothing wrong with your baby. This can happen when the belt is placed incorrectly or becomes loose when the baby moves around. You'll learn how to recognize these false alarms and what to do to help avoid them.

Feeding tubes and syringe

Some babies can't suck or swallow well enough to take in the nutrients they need for healthy growth. This is more likely in babies with problems involving the heart, lungs, mouth, esophagus, airways, or central nervous system.

When these babies go home, they may need to continue to be fed breast milk or formula through a tube (gavage feeding). The tube is inserted into the baby's nose or mouth, down the back of the throat, through the esophagus, and into the stomach. (The esophagus connects the mouth and the stomach.) This tube usually stays in place between feedings and doesn't bother the baby.

You feed your baby by pouring breast milk or formula into a syringe and adding it to your baby's feeding tube.

If your baby isn't able to take in enough food by mouth for an extended period, she may need to be fed through an opening in her stomach (gastrostomy). This opening has a small plastic feeding tube attached to it.

Oxygen

Most babies can breathe on their own before they leave the NICU, but a few need extra oxygen for a while. Their lungs often heal over the first two years of life.

Babies often need oxygen at home if they have a lung disorder called bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Babies at risk for BPD include those who:

Had severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)

Needed long-term treatment with mechanical ventilation and oxygen

If your baby needs oxygen, you'll need:

Stationary oxygen tanks (the kind that stay in one place and don't move)

Portable oxygen tanks (the kind you can move or take with you)

Nasal cannula (soft plastic tubing that goes around a baby's head)

The hospital may arrange for a home health nurse to visit your home to check on your baby. She may also be on call to answer your questions or concerns. If this isn't arranged, speak to the NICU social worker or your baby's healthcare provider to see if you can get this service.

Over time, your baby's lungs heal and breathing becomes easier. The amount of oxygen is gradually cut back, then stopped altogether. Most babies need oxygen for less than six months.

If your baby goes home on oxygen, you must observe several safety measures. Oxygen can catch fire easily. Even a small spark can start a big fire. Don't allow smoking, a burning fire, sparks, or gas stove in the same room as the oxygen tank.